Tuesday, August 11, 2026

MLB TV Off to Record Start

  • Baseball is back and the league’s streaming service, MLB TV, has knocked it out of the park.
  • More than 1.34 billion minutes of live games have been watched on the platform.
Major League Baseball TV start season fast in 2021.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

Major League Baseball is back in full swing — and its official streaming service MLB TV is knocking it out of the park

Thanks to a season start with lots of no-hitters and games that feel like October, MLB TV is experiencing significant audience growth. 

More than 1.34 billion minutes of live games were watched on MLB TV from Opening Day through April 18, a 12% uptick from the same period last season and 43% compared to 2019, according to Major League Baseball.

Total games watched on MLB TV is up 22% compared to last season and 35% compared to 2019.

An extra-innings game between the Blue Jays and Yankees on Opening Day ended up being the most-watched game in MLB TV history. 

ESPN is also reaping the benefits. Through the first two weeks of the season, the network’s weekly “Sunday Night Baseball” broadcast experienced a 33% increase in viewership compared to the 2020 full-season average. 

Perhaps best of all? Fans are back in the stands. 

Through the first three weekends, more than 2.2 million fans made a trip to the ballpark.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Tampa Overhauls Rays $2.3B Stadium Funding As Clock Ticks

The city is shifting to a tax-increment financing structure.
Aug 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Dodgers’ Late-Season Slide Complicates MLB’s Salary Cap Push

The two-time defending champions haven’t been a juggernaut lately.

Netflix Wants to Not ‘Do Too Much’ With Field of Dreams Game

The upgraded Iowa complex now has a permanent stadium. 

Anthony Rizzo: MLB Doesn’t Have Competitive Balance Problem

The former MLB star talked labor, sports betting, and his own broadcasting.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

FIFA’s Infantino Under Fire, ESPN’s New 20-Team CFP Play, Bills Fans on New $2.2B Stadium

0:00

Featured Today

Joey Spallina of the Maryland Whipsnakes

How Eye Black Became ‘War Paint’ on the Field

“You’re going into battle, doing something you only do on game days.”
August 6, 2026

Tom Brady Explains His Aggressive Push Into Trading Cards

Brady talked to FOS about his eponymous card company.
FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Indian Premier League - IPL - Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India - April 23, 2026 Mumbai Indians' Suryakumar Yadav in action
August 5, 2026

India Is Stealing Cricket’s Throne From England and Australia

India’s insatiable appetite for cricket has shifted the traditional locus of power.
WPBL
July 30, 2026

Who’s Playing Women’s Professional Baseball?

Sixty players from 11 countries are descending on Illinois for six weeks.
Tom's Watch Bar
July 17, 2026

Sports Bars Are Cashing In From Summer of Soccer

The World Cup has brought a windfall to America’s biggest sports bars.
Mar 4, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; The NFL Network logo on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Network Blackout Ends As Comcast, Disney Reach Deal

The agreement ended a blackout lasting more than three months.
August 7, 2026

How WNBA Teams Are Responding to the League’s Latest Culture War

The league issued a new media policy this year.
Nov 19, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Former Panther and now announcer Greg Olsen during pregame warm ups between the Carolina Panthers and the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Opinion
August 10, 2026

Greg Olsen Has the Most to Gain in NFL TV’s Talent Shuffle

CBS, Amazon, and ESPN could all have No. 1 jobs to fill.
Sponsored

Saints Great Turns to Ownership

Marques Colston discusses his Champions Fund launch and finding success after football.
Exclusive
August 7, 2026

Clay Travis to Launch New Sports Media Outfit Before Football Season

The new company is expected to include video content from his radio show.
The Warner Bros. Water Tower is pictured at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank on the day it was announced that California and 11 states are suing to block Paramount's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in California, U.S. July 13, 2026.
August 6, 2026

WBD Ad Sales Sink Without NBA Live Rights

WBD’s fiscal second-quarter revenue fell 11%.
August 6, 2026

Fox Pushes Back NFL Media-Rights Negotiations Until 2028

The company also touted strong results from the FIFA men’s World Cup.
Troy Aikman and Joe Buck arrive at the Disney Upfront 2022 event in New York City, New York, U.S., May 17, 2022. REUTERS/David Dee Delgado
August 6, 2026

Aikman, Buck Head Into High-Stakes ESPN Negotiations

ESPN hopes to retain the duo past the network’s first Super Bowl.